“The impact of not having capable foreign language guides is that
we cannot really grow inbound tourism numbers, especially during
peak season,” says Juliane Loubser, MD of Fairfield Tours. “Now,
whenever we get a peak season request from The Netherlands or
Germany, we have to tell the group that we can only offer the tour
with an English-speaking guide.” Loubser says this often puts the
clients off coming to South Africa. “There has also been an
increase in demand for privately guided tours, which we
immediately have to decline because we know we are short-staffed
on guides.”
Brendan McCarthy, National Head of Operations, ILIOS Travel, says:
“For us to remain a viable destination to emerging markets we need
to cater for their needs, and this includes catering for their
language requirements.” McCarthy says there is an increased need
to cater for emerging markets, specifically Portuguese and Spanish
speaking markets. Other languages, such as Vietnamese, Russian,
and Arabic, remain as specialist languages, according to McCarthy
but he also points out that German- and Italian-speaking guides
remain in high demand.
Alisha Kirk, Guide Academy Manager of Tourvest Destination
Management, says: “There is a language gap, and has been for
years. Our ability as South Africans to be able to speak in our 11
official languages doesn’t assist us in hosting foreign guests who
cannot communicate in any of our official languages. There needs
to be a greater drive to introduce foreign languages at school

level with the ability of introducing exchange programmes with
countries that form part of that programme.” Julie Mackenzie,
Operations Manager of Tourvest DMC, adds: `Most of the guides in-
country with these languages are aged from 40 to 70+ and there are
simply not enough to facilitate the market we already have and
definitely hinder any growth of these markets. The older guides
are by far the most experienced and, often, enthusiastic, but of
course there will come a time in the not too distant future when
they are no longer willing to travel for extended lengths of
time.”
Francois Collin, Media Relations at the National Federation of
Tourist Guides and Affiliates, says the guides who are coming up
do not have the same work ethic as previous generations. According
to Collin, the older generation of guides accepted that they would
be working 16-hour days and driving long distances. “There was no
certificate in those days. All the training was done on the job.”
Now Collin says that young guides do the necessary courses, get
the certificates, and come into the industry thinking they are
qualified.
“They want to walk straight into the top-level guiding jobs,
despite not having the practical experience for it,” he says,
adding that when the realities of the job become apparent, many of
the younger guides decide to leave the industry rather than work
their way to the top
www.sami.co.za V.2961

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
Click here for full article

One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
Click here for full article

The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
Click here for full article

The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
Click here for full article

A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
Click here for full article

On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
Click here for full article

The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
Click here for full article

The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
Click here for full article

1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
Click here for full article

Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
Click here for full article